India-Australia Test series to start in Pune from Feb 23

India's eagerly-anticipated home Test series against arch-foes Australia will start on February 23 in Pune, just a day after the visiting country's Twenty20 side winds up a home assignment against Sri Lanka.

Pune, Ranchi and Dharamsala will be hosting Test matches for the first time during the fourmatch Test series, which is a part of India's busy home schedule this season.

The teams will open their campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the first Test in Pune from February 23 to 27. The series will then move to Bengaluru, which will host the second game from March 4-8.

The last two matches will be played in the two new Test centres -- Ranchi and Dharamsala -- from March 16-20 and March 25-29 respectively.

The Australians have been known to have different outfits for different formats and tend to preserve Test players ahead of major series. A recent example of this was when the Aussies rested their key players during a three-match Twenty20 series at home against India in January.

Australia's three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka is scheduled from February 17 to 22.

Australia were whitewashed 4-0 by India in their last tour of the country.

The three centres which had hosted One-day Internationals and T20 Internationals in the past were accorded Test status last November.